An investigator or reporter examines a rock wall at Western States Hospital where stones have been dislodged in a purported ransom attempt for kidnap victim George Weyerhaeuser. Fred Hipkins, a US postal service messenger, reported what he interpreted to be an ransom attempt. In the early hours, he saw a bright light suspended in a tall fir tree near Custer & Steilacoom Highways. Later, near Western States, he saw a sedan parked with its lights off and people inside. The following morning, tire tracks were found near this wall with dislodged stones indicating a possible ransom drop. The story dominated the May 31st, 1935 Tacoma Times paper, only to disappear in the next days, a probable dead end. (T. Times 5/31/1935, pg. 1)

Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Weyerhaeuser, George H.--Kidnappings; Stone walls;

Washington State Patrol officers review Charles Mattson kidnapping crime scene photographs with an unidentified man. Ten year old Charles Mattson was kidnapped for ransom on December 27, 1936. His battered body was recovered January 10, 1937. His murder was never solved. Frank Olson, a mental patient at Medical Lake Asylum, confessed to kidnapping the Mattson boy. After two days of questioning by the State Patrol at the Winthrop Hotel, Olson, also known as Lester Mead and Charles Thorp, was found harmless and was returned to the Asylum. He was in residence at the Asylum at the time of the kidnapping. (T. Times 7/13/1938, pg. 1; TNT 7/13/1938, pg.1)

Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Washington State Patrol (Tacoma); Mattson, Charles--Kidnappings;

Tacoma Police Department. Ten dignitaries, attending the graduation services for 37 police officers, stand on the stage at Stadium High School.

Police--Tacoma--1940-1950; Law enforcement training--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Police Department (Tacoma); Stadium High School (Tacoma); Stages (Platforms);

Harold J. O'Brien of Algona, Washington was killed on Christmas Day, when his car was sideswiped by a truck. The accident occurred about 800 feet south of the King-Pierce County line on Edgewood Road. O'Brien's neck was broken with the impact, killing his instantly. O'Brien's mother, brother and sister-in-law were also in the vehicle, they did not suffer any injuries. State Patrolmen reported O'Brien was driving 1-1/2 feet over the center line. View of State Patrolmen carrying away the body (T. Times, 12/26/47, p. 3).

Law enforcement officers--Tacoma; Traffic accidents--Tacoma; Litters; Emergency medical services--Tacoma; Rescue work--Tacoma; Wounds & injuries--Tacoma; Victims--Tacoma; Washington State Patrol (Tacoma); O'Brien, Harold J.--Death & burial;

Tacoma's finest, along with their vehicles, stand alertly outside the Public Safety Building/City Hall Annex on August 29, 1953. They were members of the Tacoma Police Department's Motorcycle division. TPL-7118

Police--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Police Department (Tacoma); Public Safety Building (Tacoma); City Hall Annex (Tacoma); Motorcycles--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Tacoma Police Department graveyard shift on the Spanish Steps at the Elks lodge. Police officers display beards and mustaches in keeping with the request for Tacoma men not to shave during the month of August. The city sponsored a beard contest as a part of the ceremonies celebrating the Northwest Territory Centennial. TPL-8748

Police--Tacoma--1950-1960;

On January 12, 1965, Tacoma police counted coins from five confiscated slot machines on a makeshift table in the basement of the County City Building. According to a News Tribune article the following day, Detective Ritchie Mace, City Prosecutor Jack Majeres and Captain John Gookins tallied the coins from slot machines seized in a September 15, 1964, raid on Tacoma barber George Parrott's residence. The slots had been opened and smashed by police per court order. The two 25 cent slots, one nickel slot, and two penny slots had coins totaling $117.33. (TNT 1-13-65, A-3)

Slot machines--Tacoma; Tacoma Police Department (Tacoma); Police--Tacoma--1960-1970; Coins--United States; Gookins, John; Mace, Ritchie; Majeres, Jack;

Two men believed to be Federal Prohibition agents worked on July 17, 1931, at dismantling the boiler from the still found in the barn at a Graham, Washington, farm. The illegal operation was as modern and complete as a commercial pre-Prohibition distillery. It was estimated to have been built for $50,000, was in clear view of the highway and operated for six months. The owner of the farm, a Pierce County road district employee, maintained that he rented out the barn and was not aware of the illegal activities. In fact, this location was probably chosen in part due to the respectability that the farmer lent to the operation. In an odd twist of fate, the bootleggers were preparing to abandon the still, or dismantle and move it, and were making their last batch when the raid was made. It is estimated that the operators manufactured over a 1/2 million dollars of alcohol before the still was shut down. 52,000 gallons of mash were seized in the raid. (TNT 7/17-19, 1931, pg. 1-various articles)

Prohibition--Graham; Stills (Distilleries); Police raids--Graham;

A pile of slot machines awaits the sledgehammer of Chief Deputy Sheriff John Piper on October 9, 1929 at the county courthouse. These were a sample of the 39 slots ordered destroyed following seizure by county officers from various places of businesses in Pierce County. A total of $244.85 in nickels, dimes and quarters was taken from the machines. This amount, less $10 for trucking, was turned over to the county school fund. The machines, minus their cash, were taken to the waterfront and dumped into Commencement Bay. (TNT 10-10-29, p. 17) TPL-8466;

Six plain clothes detectives from the Tacoma Police Department stand next to a uniformed officer, perhaps the police chief, on March 18, 1927. The building to the rear is possibly the Elks Club on Broadway. Boland B16553, TPL-9068

Tacoma Police Department (Tacoma); Police--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Prohibition actually began early in Washington state where saloons were ordered to close at midnight on December 31, 1915. However, alcohol was soon readily available as enterprising entrepreneurs produced "moonshine" from homemade distilleries, "stills," like the one pictured at (Old) City Hall in August of 1920. A long tube comes to a narrow point, allowing the liquor to drip conveniently into a bottle. (TDL 8/15/1920, pg B-5) G24.1-076

Prohibition--Tacoma; Stills (Distilleries);

Mayor Cain assists in keeping score as men are being given the physical fitness portion of the Civil Service Examination for Tacoma City Police Patrolmen at the Tacoma YMCA. The men are, left to right, John Williscroft, Fred Stephenson, Al Ziegler, Tony Zatkovich (kneeling), Mayor Harry P. Cain, Harold Keller (aiding in giving the exam), Herman Williamson (taking weight lifting exam) and Sgt. E.D. Cornelison. (T. Times 11/29/1940, pg. 3)

Police--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979; Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950;

In November of 1940, an unidentified Civil Service Commission physician tested the lung capacity of H.E. Wood (center) and Lee York as part of the physical exam given to police force applicants. Eighty would be police officers took the exam. Twenty-three were immediately rejected because they did not meet the height and weight specifications. Those who passed the physical were given a series of mental tests to insure that they were psychologically fit. (TTimes 11/29/1940 p.3)

Police--Tacoma--1940-1950; Wood, H.E.; York, Lee; Medical equipment & supplies

The Pierce County Sheriff's Department force including patrolmen, detectives, and Pierce County Sheriff H.W. "Lee " Croft posed on the steps of the Pierce County Courthouse in December of 1945. Sheriff Croft (center, first row) was first elected to his position in 1942. He was a former logger, gold miner, heavyweight boxer, checkers enthusiast and longtime operator of the Croft Hotel on Pacific Ave. Lee Croft served two terms as sheriff and passed away in December of 1951.

Sheriffs--Pierce County--1940-1950; Pierce County Sheriffs (Tacoma); Pierce County Courthouse (Tacoma); Courthouses--Tacoma; Croft, Lee

Joyce Atkins, Evalu Clevenger, and Shirley Williams (l to r), the drum majorettes for the Lincoln High School marching band, were photographed sitting on the handle bars of three Tacoma Police Dept. motorcycles on February 11, 1944. They are flanked by four unidentified policemen. The Lynx Majorettes and the Stadium H.S. Tigerannas led the combined Lincoln and Stadium bands when Wendell Willkie visited Tacoma to address the Pierce County Republican Club at their 1944 Lincoln Day dinner. (Lincolnian, 1944 p.72)

Tacoma Police Department (Tacoma); Police--Tacoma--1940-1950; Motorcycles--Tacoma--1940-1950; Drum majorettes--Tacoma--1940-1950; Atkins, Joyce; Clevenger, Evalu; Williams, Shirley; Students--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Police Desk Sergeant, Art Gilbo, dispatched Tacoma Police Department's detectives and patrolmen when he received a call that Puget Sound National Bank was being robbed in December of 1948. Detective Lesnick and Policeman Hager apprehended Donald Anderson while he was attempting to rob the bank of $20,000. Law enforcement officials also found a kidnapping note in Anderson's pocket, this matter is under investigation by the FBI. Left to right, Detective Walter Lesnick, Patrolman George Hager, Donald Charles Anderson, Detective Jack Thore, and Jailer Don Hutt (T. Times, 12/23/48, p. 1). TPL-9071

Detectives--Tacoma; Investigation--Tacoma; Criminals--Tacoma; Robberies--Tacoma; Tacoma Police Department (Tacoma); Anderson, Donald Charles--Capture & imprisonment; Lesnick, Walter; Hager, George; Thore, Jack; Hutt, Don;

Pierce Country's new detention home, Hillcrest, was built in a joint effort by the Pierce County and Washington State governments. Pierce County furnished the site and half of the money, the State provided the other half of the money; the building cost approximately $285,000 to build. Interior view of one of the classrooms in the new Hillcrest Detention facilities for Pierce County, located on Sixth Avenue and Pearl Street. The structure has modern school rooms, which will have tables and benches instead of desks; a vocational work room will be located by the classrooms (T. Times, 1/2/49, p. 9).

Detention facilities--Tacoma; Justice facilities--Tacoma; Juvenile delinquents--Tacoma; Reformatories--Tacoma; Classrooms--Tacoma; County government--Tacoma; Hillcrest Detention Home (Tacoma); Remann Hall (Tacoma);

Tacoma's police department just bought a new modern and well equipped ambulance; the department is now properly training the police ambulance staff. View of George Paul, former police ambulance driver in stretcher, Wilson Miller, police ambulance conductor putting the stretcher in the vehicle, Jesse Eastman, in charge of the police garage is in the ambulance, R. V. Larsen, police ambulance driver, and Arthur Gilbo, former police ambulance driver, both looking on (T. Times, 1/9/49, p. 36).

Police--Tacoma--1940-1950; Litters; Law enforcement--Tacoma; Emergency medical services--Tacoma; Ambulances--Tacoma; Tacoma Police Department (Tacoma); Paul, George; Miller, Wilson; Eastman, Jesse; Larsen, R.V.; Gilbo, Arthur;

The City of Tacoma's off duty Police officers were taking a short break to celebrate Christmas and the holiday season with the Police Chief. The Tacoma Police Department had recently increased the size of their motorcycle cops unit. View of Tacoma Police Chief, Robert C. Marshall (center) surrounded by his policemen; the police officers are wearing leather jackets and boots, they are likely the motorcycle unit.

Police--Tacoma; Christmas--Tacoma; Signs (Notices); Municipal officials--Tacoma; Law enforcement--Tacoma; Marshall, Robert C.; Tacoma Police Department (Tacoma);

Penitentiary at McNeil Island. Located 2.8 miles from Steilacoom in the Carr Inlet, McNeil Island has the distinction of being the only prison in the U.S. that started out as a territorial prison, became a federal penitentiary and finally became a state corrections center. It is also the last prison in North America located on an island accessible only by boat. Named in 1841 after William Henry McNeill, boat captain for the Hudson's Bay Company and founder of Victoria, British Columbia, it was homesteaded by Ezra Meeker in 1853. The Federal government purchased 27 acres of the island in 1870 to build a territorial prison. The prison opened in 1875. In 1937, the entire island was purchased by the federal government and all homesteaders were forced to vacate. In 1970, the Federal government decided to close the prison and the state of Washington negotiated to take over the facilities. In 1981, the prison complex was transferred to the Washington State Department of Corrections and became the McNeil Island Corrections Center. TPL-9292

Prisons--McNeil Island; McNeil Island Corrections Center (McNeil Island);

Tacoma Police Department, Motorcycle Division. Some of the officers are bearded or mustached in support of the Northwest Territory Centennial beard growing contest. TPL-6490

Police--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Police Department (Tacoma);

The uniformed graduating class of Federal Protective Officers posed for a group portrait on April 16, 1971, at Fort Lewis. The United States Federal Protective Service was formally established in 1971 as a law enforcement organization within the U.S. General Services Administration. Its duty was to protect the federal communities controlled by GSA nationally, including federal employees, visitors and billions of dollars in assets. In 1971, total employment of Federal Protective Officers exceeded 4500. Photograph ordered by General Services Administration, Auburn. (www/house.gov/transportation/pbed/09-06-01/09/06/01memo.html- article)

Law enforcement officers;

Elmer J. McCune, left, 40 year old Puyallup rabbit farmer, poses with Sheriff John Bjorklund after his arrest and sentencing for murdering his wife, Maude Bulgar McCune, with an ax. On the night of November 9th, 1935, during a brief reconciliation for the couple, after being almost continually separated during their six years of marriage; the couple argued at McCune's rabbit ranch 5 miles south of Puyallup on Pipe Line Road. McCune stated that he "lost his head" when his wife nagged at him and hit him with a stick. He responded by striking her in the head with an ax. The couple's seven year old son Leroy was asleep in the house at the time. McCune buried his wife's body on his ranch. One week later, Nov. 15th, he brought Ruth Dunlap, with whom he admitted having a relationship of several years duration, from Seattle to his ranch and presented her to his son as his new mother. McCune was sentenced to life imprisonment two days after his arrest. (T.Times 4/19/1935, pg. 1; 4/20/1935, pg. 1)

McCune, Elmer; Homicides--Puyallup--1930-1940; Bjorklund, John;

A ramshackle, vacant and boarded up residence across the street from the home of J.P. Weyerhaeuser, Jr. and his family, at 420 No. 4th. Officials suspect that this home may have been used as a vantage point to observe the family in the days preceding the May 24, 1935 kidnapping of George Weyerhaeuser. Those officials point to a fire of mysterious origin in the house at 3a.m. on May 11, 1935, indicating that the house was occupied. The theory of the home as a hideout was later abandoned and footprints through the home were attributed to a reporter trying to get a better view of the Weyerhaeuser home. (T.Times 5/28/1935, pg.1)

Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Abandoned buildings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Weyerhaeuser, George H.--Kidnappings;

A sample of George Weyerhaeuser's third grade school work. The nine year old boy was kidnapped on May 24, 1935 and held for $200,000 ransom. The original pre-typed ransom note contained George's signature to prove authenticity. Later notes from the kidnappers also contained samples of George's writing. His school work was obtained for comparison. The paper reads "Lowell School. May 16 1935. a2.17 George Weyerhaeuser 3a. On the way we saw a (boat) in the bay. We passed some (houses) that had (trees) and many (?)." (T. Times 5/25/1935, pg. 1 plus succeeding months)

Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Weyerhaeuser, George H.--Associated objects;

Automobile parked outside entrance between hedges at Annie Wright Seminary, the area where George Hunt Weyerhaeuser was kidnapped on May 24, 1935. The heavy hedges undoubtedly provided cover to the people abducting the boy. George had left Lowell School just before noon to walk the five or so blocks to the Seminary where he would meet his sister and the young people would be driven home for lunch by the family chauffer. (T. Times 5/25/1935, pg. 1 plus succeeding months)

Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Weyerhaeuser, George H.--Kidnappings;

Photograph of Harman Metz Waley, kidnapper of nine year old George H. Weyerhaeuser. Twenty four year old Harman Waley was a small time criminal and former Puyallup resident. Harman, admired by female onlookers for his wavy red hair, and his 19 year old wife Margaret seemed unlikely candidates for the commission of this crime. Waley knew co-abductor William Dainard from time they had spent together in an Idaho prison. The trio developed the kidnapping plan after the death of J.P. Weyerhaeuser Sr. and the reports of his tremendous wealth. Despite the ransom demand that the bills be unmarked, the numbers were recorded. The Waleys were arrested when Margaret tried to pass one of the bills in a Salt Lake City five and dime. The pair implicated Dainard. Harmon Waley plead guilty and received a sentence of 45 years. (T. Times 06/10/1935, pg. 1 plus succeeding days)

Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Waley, Harman; Weyerhaeuser, George H.--Kidnappings;

John Philip (Phil) Weyerhaeuser, Jr. and his wife Helen. In 1935, this private couple was thrust into the limelight when their youngest son George was kidnapped and held for ransom. It became the second most famous kidnapping in the nation, eclipsed only by that of the Lindbergh baby. On May 24, 1935, nine year old George Hunt Weyerhaeuser left Lowell Elementary to walk to Annie Wright. He was supposed to meet there with his sister Ann, 13, a student at the seminary and his brother Philip, 10, who also attended Lowell. The family chauffer would then motor the trio home for lunch. On May 24, George never made it to the car, he was kidnapped near the tennis courts of the seminary and held ransom for $200,000. The ransom was paid and George was freed near Issaquah on June 1, 1935 unharmed. During the ordeal and afterward, the family spoke only with the police. Newspaper articles are sketchy and only conjectures. To the credit of the family, this enabled the police to arrest and convict three suspects, 24 year old Harman Waley and his 19 year old wife Margaret and William Dainard (called Wm. Mahan until the trial) and to recover most of the ransom money. It speaks of the democratic upbringing of the younger Weyerhaeuser generation that the children were allowed to walk from place to place without security. (T. Times 5/25/1935, pg. 1 plus succeeding months)

Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Weyerhaeuser, John Philip; Weyerhaeuser, Helen; Weyerhaeuser, George H.--Kidnappings;

On June 12, 1935 at 6:35p.m., Harman and Margaret Waley arrive at the Federal Building for arraignment on the charges of kidnapping and extortion in the abduction of George Weyerhaeuser. The pair are sped from Tacoma Field to the Federal Building in a convoy of four federal vehicles. They are surrounded by seven Federal agents and a crowd of about 50 spectators. Many of the spectators are newsmen, and the flash of bulbs lights up the evening. They are escorted to the federal court room on the 3rd floor of the Post Office building where they plead "not guilty." (T. Times 06/13/1935, pg. 1 plus succeeding days)

Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Waley, Harman; Waley, Margaret; Weyerhaeuser, George H.--Kidnappings;

Margaret Waley, in a checked coat, exits the Federal Building surrounded by agents and reporters after being arraigned for kidnapping and extortion in the abduction of nine year old George Weyerhaeuser. Margaret and her husband Harman pled "not guilty" despite their admission of guilt and surrender of their remaining half of the ransom. They implicated William Dainard, known to the couple as Wm. Mahan, as the "mastermind" of the crime in order to receive a lesser sentence. (T. Times 06/13/1935, pg. 1 plus succeeding days)

Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Waley, Margaret; Weyerhaeuser, George H.--Kidnappings;